How to Remove Mildew From Terylene Sails

Terylene is a synthetic polyester material manufactured by ICI, a chemicals company. In the United States, the material is known as Dacron and is manufactured by the DuPont company. The material is noted for its durability and shape-holding strength after washing. Boating sails made of Terylene can be cleaned safely of mildew while eliminating foul odors by following these steps.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Terylene sails
Large container such as a child's wading pool
Tarp or plastic sheet large enough to cover the pool
Chlorine bleach
Water supply and garden hose

Terylene sails

Large container such as a child's wading pool

Tarp or plastic sheet large enough to cover the pool

Chlorine bleach

Water supply and garden hose

Step 1

Place Terylene sails one at a time in a child's wading pool or other sufficiently large container. Unfold the sail and keep the material as loose and flat as possible. It may be necessary to fold the sail loosely in half, but keep enough space to allow water to circulate around all areas of the Terylene material.

Step 2

Fill the wading pool with a 30:1 water/bleach solution. This means you should add 1 gallon of chlorine bleach to every 30 gallons of water, which can be added from a garden hose into the wading pool.

Step 3

Submerge the entire sail and remove any air pockets that will cause the material to float.

Step 4

Cover with a tarp or plastic sheet to reduce water and bleach evaporation.

Step 5

Soak the sail for 2 to 3 days, then check for mildew. Continue soaking as necessary until the sail is clean and odor-free.

Step 6

Remove the sail from the bath and spread on the ground.

Step 7

Rinse the sail thoroughly with a garden hose and allow to air-dry completely before reinstalling on the boat mast and stays.

Article Written By James Clark

James Clark began his career in 1985. He has written about electronics, appliance repair and outdoor topics for a variety of publications and websites. He has more than four years of experience in appliance and electrical repairs. Clark holds a bachelor's degree in political science.

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